Suit Filed to Reinstate John Deere Employee after Reporting Unsafe Working Conditions

The pipefitter was terminated form the Moline facility

Jul 11, 2015

A suit from the DOL alleges that John Deere violated the whistleblower provisions of the OSHA Act when an employer was terminated from the company’s Moline facility after reporting unsafe working conditions.

The pipefitter filed multiple complaints from 2010 to 2012, leading to a number of serious safety hazards including fall hazards, lockout/tagout, and machine operation.

"It is clear from OSHA's investigation that John Deere dismissed this employee for reporting conditions that exposed everyone at the facility to serious injuries," said William Donovan, acting regional administrator for OSHA in Chicago. "Commitment to workplace safety should be commended - not disciplined. The department will do everything in its power to prevent this type of unlawful retaliation against workers who report unsafe working conditions."

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